As my film freinds in Scotland will know I’ve been a DCP for my film and would like to share a few things that might help other people!

1. If your film was shot on dslr, scale up your footage BEFORE grading as exporting your image sequence (in my case DPX) as 2k after grading can result in some horrible artifacts, especially in high key lighting.

2. Once you have exported from you online check your Tiff/DPX files for problems and not your jpeg2000 files at the other end of the DCP process.

3. Crushing blacks can resolve artifacts introduced by up scaled dslr, but only do it after your online as you only want to do it if necessary.

4. Don’t go by the image of the Jpeg2000 as its not a fair representation of your final product.

6. If you take out your sync mark for your sound make sure the sound is matched up to a different point or the whole thing will be out of sync. In my case exactly (to exact frame) 3 seconds of black at the start.

7. Never mix RED and dslr unless you a sadist like me! I still have cold sweats!

8. Make sure you test it! As you can notice things on a big screen both visual and audible you might not of noticed on a computer screen.

9. Split the audio into three channels if you can for a nicer sound mix for a theatre screening.